Regarding the appointment of Regional Pastors, the Church Order says: 

Supplement, Article 42-d

1. Regional pastors shall be appointed for a specified term of service.
2. Regional pastors shall be appointed in collaboration with Thrive.
3. Regional pastor expenses shall ordinarily be borne by the classis.
4. Annual written reports of the regional pastor shall be provided to classis and copied to Thrive.
5. General oversight of the regional pastor program, including development of resource materials and training, will be coordinated by Thrive.
6. Regional pastors assist newly ordained pastors in the selection of a mentor, according to the decision of synod:
   1. All candidates for ministry will upon ordination engage with a mentor. Each newly ordained minister will be served by a mentor for the first five years of ministry.
   2. For the first five years of ministry of each person who enters the Christian Reformed Church ministry by way of Church Order Articles 7, 8, or 14-e, engaging with a mentor will be required.
   3. A mentor will be provided for any minister of the Word who desires a mentor.

(Adapted from Acts of Synod 1982, p. 78; Acts of Synod 2019, p. 757)

Appointment Process in Collaboration with Thrive Consultants

Different classes will have slightly different processes. Here are some key points pertaining to the collaborative relationship between your classis and Thrive, which should work irrespective of how you go about appointing functionaries:

1. The primary responsibility for selecting & appointing Regional Pastors is the classis.
2. Thrive is available to help with some suggestions if the classis is unsure about who they might appoint.
3. Thrive's primary responsibility is vetting the potential appointee. This works best if the classis leadership (whoever is responsible for appointing or recommending someone be appointed) contacts Thrive with the name of the individual they are considering prior to communicating this with the individual. We will then confer and will respond and indicate either agreement or caution about the individual. Then your classis can continue on in however you process these appointments.
4. If you let us know the date that the appointment begins (often it's a classis meeting when the appointee is voted in, but is also sometimes when a CIC or other body appoints the Regional Pastor), we will send a welcome letter from Thrive directly to the new Regional Pastor.

If you have any questions, or suggestions on how this process may work better for your context, please don't hesitate to let us know.